


the ocean

by carrionqueen (nightquill)



Series: The Ocean [2]
Category: Dragon Age II
Genre: Anxiety, Drowning, F/M, Hurt/Comfort, Night Terrors, Nightmares, Other, Protective Siblings, Sibling Death, Siblings
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-05-24
Updated: 2016-05-24
Packaged: 2018-06-10 10:31:20
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 544
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6953065
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/nightquill/pseuds/carrionqueen
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The hawk would have been safe if it had stayed, but that isn't what hawks do. // the titular piece of the ocean series. cathryn will never forget the trip from gwaren. carver keeps her panic at bay.</p>
            </blockquote>





	the ocean

She fell, again and again into the ocean's cold embrace. It swallowed her wholly, the weight of her armor dragging her down. Her limbs weren't working. She felt herself writhe, desperately trying to jackknife her way through the water - it had become thick like syrup now, and her air was running out. She opened her mouth to scream but the water poured into her, straight into her lungs and setting them aflame and suddenly it was dark.

Carver heard her explode into waking in the bunk beneath his, panting and sobbing as she kicked at the dirty bedclothes. _Not again._ He rubbed the sleep from his eyes and rolled out and down, feet hitting the floor with a soft pad. It was barely audible over her shuddering breaths. 

"Hey, hey," he was quiet as he shuffled into her bunk. Her hands were shaking as she reached for him, and she clutched at his shirt like a wild cat, fists jamming tight. Her muscles weren't her own, and he knew that. He let her cling. "Hey, shh, it's okay. I'm here. I'm here."

Cathryn was quivering all over, sweat beading on her nose and between her eyebrows as she sobbed and breathed and sobbed, trying to regulate her air intake. Carver just let her hold him. 

"You must love this," she sobbed bitterly as she pressed her face into his chest, panting while her muscles cramped and clenched. 

"What?"

"How weak I am. You must love coming to my rescue for once." 

Carver circled her in his arms and breathed out slowly. He knew she would fall into his breathing pattern eventually. "Don't be an idiot, sister. I'm always rescuing you,"

She barked a laugh, shallow breaths filling their small room. The door was shut - he just hoped it was enough to keep the noise from mother and Gamlen. The last thing he wanted was to bother mother with this. She was useless at keeping a cool head when Cat needed it most. She had been dreaming of the ocean again. 

The trip from Gwaren had left scars on his sister. He was no mariner, but his sister was even less of one. She’d been afraid of deep water for as long as he could remember and this trip had only amplified it. The only blessing was that the fear had stamped out her grief over Bethany’s death… _some blessing._ He squeezed her lightly while her shallow breaths slowed. Her ear was on his chest and he knew she was listening to his heartbeat. Her lips moved between breaths. She was counting. When he looked down at her, he saw her fingers on her own wrist. Carver smiled.

The lamp they had both forgotten to put out was flickering to a slow death. In an hour, she was calm, and it was midnight. 

“Are you okay now?”

She shuffled against him, her skin still tacky and cool. “If I say yes, you’ll go back to bed.”

His chuckle bounced her head on his chest, and set her giggling too. Her hands finally unclenched from his shirt – he would have to iron those creases out. With a gentle kiss for the top of her head he stroked her shoulder. 

“I’m here if you need me, sister.”


End file.
